Kindred
by Seraph Lucifia
Summary: They were more similar to eachother then they'd realized. -Chad x Sharpay- ONE-SHOT


**Kindred  
**_A Chadpay One-shot_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own High School Musical. If I did, it would probably be rated R. **;3**

**-**

_**"I am not an angry girl, but it seems I've got everyone fooled. Every time I say something they find hard to hear, they chalk it up to my anger and never to their own fear. And imagine you're a girl just trying to finally come clean, knowing full well they'd prefer you were dirty and smiling." **_

**- Ani DiFranco**

_**-**_

_..._

_(East High School, Auditorium)_

…

Chad Danforth slid his eyes open very slowly. His vision tunneled straight to the ceiling of the auditorium at once and, remembering where he was, he almost immediately breathed in an exaggerated sigh of despair.

Somewhere during the course of his detention duty in the lecture hall, Chad had found himself making a quirk out of counting the old cracks slinking over the ceiling that clouded overhead. It came as no surprise when he had become increasingly bored, eventually nodding off in the process.

It wasn't that he was intentionally shirking off his punishment (not without good reason, at least), because lord knew he needed to earn every ounce of his sentence knowing Ms. Darbus was eyeing him like a hawk. But it seemed that all the personnel really needed out of him was his brute strength.

Chad had been shifting large cardboard cutouts and fairly heavy wooden displays back and forth the entire time, the stage directors having picked this day in particular to be ridiculously picky, and it hadn't helped at all that a very clumsy freshman with a chronic nasal allergy had been assigned to help him.

His name was Elmer, but Chad had hardly cared. The only reason he remembered the underclassman's name was because he had angrily told off the smaller boy many times throughout their manhandling the props. Why the bespectacled freshman was there to begin with Chad would never understand, but apparently Elmer was prone to constantly dropping wooden displays on Chad's foot. The last thing he needed was the lame excuse of a busted toe to be the reason he was shirking off basketball practices.

He may have been a star athlete and basketball prodigy in every sense of the word, but he was useful in other ways besides the heavy lifting, and the fact that the Drama Club did not believe he was good for anything other than manual labor officially declared his day a bad one.

Chad was forced to put up with the drama club's selfish discrimination for the time being, because in order to _remain _a star athlete he had to maintain his good behavior in the Personal Records Department – which was currently going nowhere with Ms. Darbus. He only hoped that by volunteering to tidy up the stage for an upcoming short play East High was hosting would make up for it, and more importantly keep him off the benches.

But for the sake of East High's Wildcats Chad had nearly suffered a severed hand, having a particularly cheap wooden bush almost collapse on top of his fingers. The display prop had had rusty nails jutting out of it in all directions, which was obviously too dangerous to remain on stage, but the stage directors themselves insisted that they were merely improvising for their lack of proper scenery. They claimed they were being artistically manageable, but _Chad _thought they were all just self-centered psychos.

It was why he had stopped helping out for awhile – he couldn't risk another bruised foot, couldn't stand the obvious egotism for another minute, or risk being the blame for anything the Drama Club was willing to accuse him of.

Chad was slumped against the backrest of a seat he had picked out in one of the rows that were farthest from the stage, hidden under the shadows that extended overhead. It just so happened that his seat was also very close to the emergency exit, and Chad was tempted, but before he could play hooky at all he caught the shadow of someone at the corner of his eye.

"Danforth?"

Chad recognized the snarky tone at once. "Evans," he greeted lamely, peering at the curvaceous blonde girl and noting she looked more amused than anything else – which was surprising, since Sharpay Evans rarely ever gave him anything but snark.

The amazing turn of events that had transpired over the Lava Springs Country Club summer had managed to bring out a part of the goodness in Sharpay – to an extent, of course.

She was now an exceptionally close friend with Gabriella, and Chad was pleasantly surprised at how easily their friendship had developed after only half a summer of compensation. She and Gabriella's friendship turned out to be not as catastrophic as he had first predicted, along with her other affiliations with his fellow Wildcats.

Now that Sharpay held no hard feelings for the Wildcats, her relationship with Troy was as platonic as she would allow. But of course Sharpay admittedly couldn't help playfully flirting with Troy every once in awhile, and even Gabby admitted it was cute and funny and _much_ less annoying than when they were mortal enemies. Chad himself didn't quite agree, but Troy was comfortable with it as long as Gabriella was. It seemed Gabriella loved the idea of everyone finally being friends, and was willing to overlook Sharpay's occasional flirtations with her boyfriend.

Chad was slightly disappointed at knowing that Gabriella wasn't putting up much of a fight for her relationship with Troy, but Sharpay was only teasing after all. It was really more amusing than anything else.

More often he and Sharpay began spending time together – in mixed company and as friends, and surprisingly not by force – and Chad confessed that she had become something of a lovable little sister to him: they were polar opposites, hardly agreed on anything, almost always argued, and would exchange witty playful insults at every given opportunity. Divergence was like a game they played. But Chad couldn't help but get a suspicious inkling that she was tolerating him for the sake of remaining on good terms with Troy.

Summer seemed all but a fading, magical memory. The reality of senior year, college applications, and their potential future hit every one of them like a physical blow. Suddenly it was August 15th once more, and Chad was staring into Sharpay's eyes with a challenging smirk.

Chad noticed that Sharpay was currently missing her twin brother, Ryan. "I see Tweedle Dee, but where's Tweedle Dumb?" There wasn't a hint of animosity in his voice. Chad didn't mean it. On the contrary, he actually considered Ryan a great pal. But Chad couldn't help but spite the Ice Queen for old times sake. Old habits died hard.

"_Too _easy, Danforth. Fortunately for you, I really don't want to have your ego disintegrated just yet," Sharpay leered, rolling her eyes, "What are you doing here?"

"Extra credit," Chad defended, shrugging lower into his seat as he noticed Ms. Darbus glancing in their general direction. He figured Sharpay probably considered herself above the trivialities of exchanging witty banter for now, and left it at that.

Sharpay rolled her eyes at him, whipping her hair out of her face with a flick of her wrist. She glanced at him with a grimace that crinkled her pixie nose, and Chad was reminded of how cute a quirk it was. "You know what I mean. What are you doing all the way back here?" She folded her arms in front of her, a childish gesture of impatience.

"Extra credit," Chad repeated dismissively.

Sharpay shot him a pointed look. The sly smile that stretched her lips made his skin crawl for reasons Chad wasn't so sure of.

"Oh really? I wonder what kind of extra credit allows students to hide and relax in the theatre when they're suppose to be helping," she grated, tapping her chin with her forefinger in mock consideration, "Perhaps I should ask Ms. Darbus? I'm certain she would know. Oh Ms. Darb—!"

Without thinking, Chad's hands shot forth and grabbed Sharpay before she could utter another word, bringing her down with him as he stumbled and fell onto the seats behind him. As Sharpay landed face-first on top of him, Chad realized that he really should've thought his actions through.

Chad grunted at the added weight as Sharpay struggled over him, her movements only forcing him to feel every inch of her figure against his—every sumptuous, solid curve sheathed under the eccentrically fashionable sundress she wore. His hand was still over her mouth, so profanity of any kind was fortunately subdued.

Chad let out a loud wince as Sharpay unknowingly hit his already bruised foot with her heel. The sheer pain in his expression could not go unnoticed even if he tried.

Sharpay stopped struggling when she caught Chad's face. She unceremoniously plucked his hand away from her mouth while he was distracted, glaring vehemently. "When I get up, we can discuss the terms of why I won't permanently ruin you," she declared authoritatively, her voice a hissing whisper.

Chad simply stared up at her, growing increasingly unsettled. He continued to gawk until her face crinkled into a scowl, to which he cringingly looked away.

"I'm offering you a negotiation, Basketball Boy! Be smart like the rest of this school and do as I say!" It was then that Chad realized his other arm was still enveloped firmly around her waist, and she seemed incapable of wriggling free. He withdrew at once, as if just realizing he had been burnt.

"Ahem… Ms. Evans, Mr. Danforth, is there a problem?"

The expectant _click-clicking_ of Ms. Darbus' heel against the concrete was surprisingly loud in Chad's ears, and he began to feel more and more uncomfortable. Chad could scarcely hear Sharpay curse under her breath on top of him.

"I fell," Sharpay lied with ease, quick to shoot to her feet. Her cheeks were vividly flushed. "Mr. Danforth here tried to catch me, but to no avail." She feigned a sweet, sheepish giggle. If there were ever a sound for poisonous sugar, that was it.

As Chad shakily rose to his feet to stand alongside her, Sharpay harshly clapped a hand over his back in false appreciation. The contact made him flinch, his head bowed in humiliation.

"Ever the hero, Chad Danforth," Sharpay grated through her fakest smile. Chad looked sick to his stomach, his face inflamed with color as the embarrassment of the situation overwhelmed him.

"I see," Ms. Darbus muttered, unconvinced, stroking her chin in thought. Suddenly, the graying drama teacher brought her hands together in front of her in a thunderous clap, and sighed, "But who am I to interfere with the traditional blossoming of star-crossed lovers?"

"_Lovers_?" Chad's facial complexion paled.

Sharpay's smile grew stiff and maniacal. "I _assure_ you, Ms. Darbus, it's _nothing_…" she gritted through clenched teeth, "The only possibility that I would ever even c_onsider _making out with a simple-minded basketball junky is if I suddenly turned deaf, blind, and dumb."

Chad was far too stunned to retaliate or feel offended at all, and instead was starting to feel as sick as he looked. At the same time, though, he was unsettled over Sharpay's manic smile. He wouldn't be surprised if she exploded in Darbus' face at any moment.

Ms. Darbus looked both startled and convinced. "Of course," she agreed tenderly, slightly unnerved.

Ms. Darbus turned to Chad, and all sense of kindness was instantly stripped from her ripened old face, now glaring hotly, "_You_ are suppose to be receiving your just disserts, Mr. Danforth!"

Chad coughed uncomfortably. "I…_ahem_. Well, I uh…"

"He's injured," Sharpay intercepted, startling both Chad and Ms. Darbus. Chad's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Sharpay?" Ms. Darbus said curiously, "do you have something to say?"

"I thought I already _did_," Sharpay stated flatly. "Mr. Danforth here was injured by one of the props on our stage. Apparently no one has taken into consideration the safety of our aspiring thespians—and when I mean thespians, I mean _me_." She raised her chin proudly, shooting a pointed look at a horrified Ms. Darbus.

"Is this true, Mr. Danforth?" Ms. Darbus pursed her lips as she turned on Chad.

Chad straightened quickly, but it didn't make him look any less terrified. "Well, _duh_—I mean, yes," Chad admitted quickly, looking anxious as he combed his fingers through his mop of kinky caramel-brown hair, "Elmer isn't very strong, and since he has to suck on his inhaler every two seconds you can imagine it's a bit hard to carry the props right."

Sharpay threw him a pointed look, and Chad balked at the sudden attention.

"_Elmer Gulden_? They let _Elmer_ do manual labor?" she asked, looking outraged.

Chad nodded vigorously, and Sharpay was prompt to scowl.

"Elmer Gulden has a chronic nasal allergy and asthma, therefore why on_ earth _would any idiot in their right mind want to have him set up the stage? With his condition, he'd be a threat to himself and everyone around him!" Sharpay quickly rerouted her attention to Ms. Darbus, who flinched at the teenage girl's bridling look, "Do _you_ have anything to say about this, Ms. Darbus? I'm certain you are just as appalled as I am over this injustice! I would've expected better from the drama club!"

Sharpay had stepped down from her position as president of the Drama Club before summer, having realized that senior year was the year they were especially busy for college prep, and even Chad knew that volunteering in high school musicals could not compensate for Sharpay's dreams of superstardom. But she still starred in some minor roles in her free time, when she felt like it.

Ms. Darbus coughed into her sleeve in discomfort, awkwardly readjusting the colorful mesh shawl around her neck. "Why, I had _no_ _idea_ the stage directors would do such a thing…" she straightened, suddenly looking very determined, and then rebounded on Chad again, "Mr. Danforth, who was it who assigned Mr. Gulden to you?"

Chad was quick to point out the arrogant junior that had been on his case the moment he stepped into the auditorium, and without another word Ms. Darbus glided ominously toward the unassuming student.

Chad blew out a sigh of wholehearted relief. "I'd never thought I'd say this, but…_thanks_." Chad had the decency to smile, "I don't know what I'd do if that got to my mom. You're a lifesaver, Shar."

"My influence knows no bounds," Sharpay grinned superiorly.

"Nor does your ego," Chad commended playfully. He bowed exaggeratedly, careful not to strain his injured foot.

Sharpay scoffed, "Takes one to know one."

"Oh c'mon, Mountain Lion, you can do better than that!" Chad grinned broadly. "Where are the fangs?"

"Have you ever heard of the term 'gratitude' before, Danforth? Or is your head just too much like your basketball, nothing but air?" Sharpay raised a shapely brow.

Chad puckered his lips and blew a low, appreciative wolf whistle. "_Mrrwarrr_, kitty's got claws." He made a playful clawing gesture with his hands at Sharpay, whom immediately slapped them away. Chad let out an indignant yelp and cradled his hands to his chest, staring at her petulantly.

"I'm guessing you haven't," Sharpay sighed dramatically, "Poor Danforth, so pathetically illiterate and vocabulary-impaired."

"Easy now, I said I was thankful," Chad warned rationally, smirking. "How did you know my foot's bruised, though?" He folded his arms when Sharpay didn't immediately respond, grinning slyly, "If I hadn't known better I'd say you were stalking me, Ms. Evans."

"Get over yourself, Danforth," Sharpay yawned, waving her hand dismissively, "I look out for this theatre, for all plays held in it, and I'll be damned if some pompous idiot endangers the success of East High's artistic performance just because of his overzealous fat head – and _you_ are no exception."

"Touché," Chad grumbled, rolling his eyes at her, "I should've known engaging in polite conversation with _Ice Queen Evans_ would only lead to personal misery."

"Decidedly so," Sharpay agreed with conviction.

Chad let out a short laugh and, without another word, shoved his hands into his Levi jeans and started to limp back to the stage with his good foot.

Sharpay's hand shot forward and grasped his arm before he took another step. Chad let out a muffled yelp. Sharpay sighed dramatically, "You weren't _listening_, were you, you narcissistic Neanderthal?"

The first thing that came to his mind was:_ 'What the hell is a Neanderthal?'_ Outwardly, on the other hand, Chad gaped at her in a mixture of offense and surprise. He tugged at his arm possessively, but it did not budge under her surprisingly firm grip.

She glared at him from beneath her golden lashes, her eyes narrowed and looking ominous, "If you think that you're going to do anything on that stage with a busted foot, then you've got another thing coming."

"_Ow_! Le' go!" Chad struggled, but her grip only tightened painfully, perfect French manicures digging into his sleeve.

"Quit squirming," Sharpay demanded, and her tone of voice was so authoritative that Chad was compelled to comply with her command immediately. "I'm escorting you to the medical ward," she decided with a curt nod, eyeing Chad in an once-over.

The idea of Sharpay suggesting he go to the nurse's office, much less escorting him, seemed bizarre and unusual. It could only mean that she was concerned, and Chad did not want to get his hopes up for fear that the Ice Princess of East High may pummel them into nothing. She had to have an ulterior motive of some sort…

"I mean, we can't have you getting lost," Sharpay added mockingly, her voice as sickly sweet as poisoned honey.

"I can get there myself," Chad growled through clenched teeth, growing more and more annoyed by Sharpay's insistent harassments.

"No nurse here, Basketball Junky," Sharpay reproached, shaking her index finger in front of his face in mock scolding. "She's in the hospital, ironically, and I know where all the painkillers are—so you better be nice!"

"Or what, you'll slip me poison instead?" Chad muttered sullenly, realizing that in this case it was a likely outcome.

Sharpay ignored him and, still holding his arm, briskly strode out of the auditorium. Chad let out a muffled wince as he was hauled by his arm towards the medical ward.

The adamant clacking of her stiletto-heeled sandals pervaded the corridor echoes, and Chad was considering an ointment that would treat the puncture wounds on his bicep from Sharpay gripping it so hard. He squirmed desperately, maneuvering Sharpay's hold so that it slid down his arm and came in contact with his hand.

Chad clutched her hand at that moment, relieved that his bicep was no longer assaulted and deciding that he preferred a severed hand instead. Sharpay gave him a fleeting look before she returned her gaze in front of her, a small regard to their entwined hands.

"Here we are," Sharpay beamed, letting go of his hand at once and turning the doorknob of the medical ward. Chad was surprised to find it unlocked, and cautiously followed Sharpay as she easily sashayed into the room.

Chad was no stranger to hospitals, having several times busted a limb or two while immersed in intense basketball trainings, playoffs in particular. The nurse's office, however, he was not too familiar with. His mother did not seem to trust underpaid public school nurses, and always insisted on an ambulance over than anything else.

He peered at the white cabinets, at Sharpay as she opened them and began shifting through vials of antibiotics and ointments, standing on her tiptoes in order to reach them. She pulled out an empty icepack from the drawers and filled it with ice from a convenient dispenser. As he watched her, he let himself sit on one of the comfortable leather chairs in the room, wincing at the pain in his left foot.

Sharpay was wearing a thin cotton-spandex sundress, a combined halter top and pleated skirt that finished an inch above her knees and was vividly apple red in color. She always was a showstopper with her quirky fashion sense, and the dress alone was certainly worth a more than a double take. Her hair was slightly pulled out of her face by a black headband, which complemented well with the black Christian Lacroix patent leather strapped sandals tucked under her feet.

Sharpay turned around to face him with the icepack and pills in her hands, and Chad immediately tore his eyes away from her evenly tanned bare legs, looking at her directly in the eye as if he were caught in the headlights of an incoming truck.

"Here," she offered, flippantly shoving the assorted items towards him. She didn't look like she even noticed he had been ogling.

"This isn't going to hurt me in any way, is it?" He looked up to see Sharpay glaring at him, but Chad was certain that her lips lifted ever so slightly into a tiny smirk.

"It's an icepack—it's suppose to _lessen _the pain."

"_Right_…" Chad frowned skeptically. "But who's to say you're not capable of manslaughter, eh Evans?"

"You are _such_ a…" Sharpay huffed, too furious to think of a witty comeback. Blood boiled beneath the golden complexion of her cheeks, and her full cottoncandy lips puckered in a tantalizing pout.

Her lips, Chad knew, was one of the greatest qualities in Sharpay's features. Just by looking at them confirmed for certain that they were full and wide and perfect to smother with kisses.

In fact, Chad remembered seeing his friend Zeke emerge out of the auditorium once upon a lunch break, his cheeks bruising red and his expression looking blissfully dreamy. Chad had initially thought that his fellow Wildcat was on drugs, but he had discovered later on that it was something far more influential than drugs that had Zeke on Cloud 9.

Zeke had kissed Sharpay.

Chad wasn't keen on the details, but from what he'd heard Zeke had kissed her impulsively, before Sharpay could react. Sharpay had slapped him several times afterwards, which obviously explained Zeke's reddened face. But Zeke had proclaimed with absolute certainty that facing the wrath of Sharpay Evans was worth it, if only to kiss her. Of course, the aspiring chef also had to answer to Ryan, who turned out to be surprisingly overprotective of his only sister and chased Zeke all through the campus with a baseball bat patently signed by Mark McGuire himself.

Zeke had compared the kiss to heaven. Chad had reasoned to the lovesick schoolboy that he'd never even _been_ to heaven, and was still uncertain whether the baker boy was really on drugs or not.

"You put this on your foot," Sharpay instructed suddenly, as though she were talking to an idiot child, sounding irritated. The icepack was still in her hand.

Chad's thoughts immediately faded into nothing, "I know _that_." He glared at her before following her instructions and shrugging off his shoe, his brows drawn together as he carefully took the icepack from her hand. He stared at it for a moment, waiting for the scorpions to cut through the bag and eat him alive…

Sharpay let out a startled squeal, stopping him before he could even untie the laces of the Nike product. "What?" he asked, feeling confused as he noticed her horrorstruck expression.

"Please tell me you are _not_ going to take that off after you just did manual labor," she demanded, taking a step back and raising her hands open-palmed over her chest, as if to ward off any defiling odor.

"No one asked you to follow me," Chad snapped, shrugging off his shoe indignantly and peeling back his grey sock. "I could've gone here alone, _less painfully_ thank you very much!"

Sharpay made a muffled noise and shot to the other side of the room, covering her mouth and nose with both her hands. "I was being helpful," she grumbled, her words muffled against her hands, "You should be grateful I'm being so nice to the likes of _you_."

Chad cursed himself, remembering that she had saved him from a very unwelcoming fate with Darbus. "Right," he grumbled sarcastically, "_so_ sorry." With a wince, he gingerly compressed the icepack over his purpling bare foot. The freezing chill was soothing, and Chad let out a clearly relieved sigh.

"Here, this is for the pills." Sharpay had a Styrofoam cup of water in her hand, and was obviously offering it to him. Chad was too grateful to find the whole situation unusual, willingly accepting it and popping the painkillers into his mouth before guzzling down the cold liquid.

"Why are you helping me?" Chad peered at Sharpay almost curiously, wiping his wet lips with his sleeve.

Sharpay grimaced, as if in distaste. "Because…" she replied dismissively, flauntingly whipping her hair off of her shoulder. It was a habit that for some reason aggravated Chad.

"Because…?" Chad urged, growing increasingly impatient.

"Just because," Sharpay declared with finality.

"That's a very stupid answer coming from you," Chad remarked, hoping to wind her up into admitting whatever possessed her to help him at all.

Sharpay huffed, glaring heatedly. "Did you ever once consider that I am _not_ as entirely selfish as everyone thinks I am?"

Chad stared, paused as if in thought, and then, "Nope."

"What?" Sharpay gaped incredulously. "Ugh, you are so ungrateful! But I suppose it is to be _expected _from a spoiled little basketball brat."

"Coming from the rich little _spore_ that dictates the entire school," Chad spat childishly, infuriated that she would accuse him of such things. He rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I feel like a _real _jerk now."

Sharpay scowled. "I shouldn't have helped you at all, Danforth! Nothing good comes out of feeling sorry for you."

"You actually _feel_?" Chad exclaimed in mock surprise.

"_Yes_," she said, glaring passionately, "because not long ago _I _use to be the one bruising my foot and being undermined by my peers in the theatre. I know what it's like. I had to work my way to the top, to grin and bear _everything _they threw at me – the criticism, the injustice, _everything_. And to see someone with your sort of musical talent get wasted like that as well is just not acceptable."

The explanation came as a complete shock to Chad, and for a moment he found himself unable to speak.

Sharpay groaned exaggeratedly. "Why am I even telling you this? You're too thick-headed to understand anything…" She messaged her aching head with her hand, "you probably don't know what it's like to have to work hard at all!"

Chad glared vehemently, hating that she would once again misjudge him so easily. "Don't even _think_ I don't know what its like," he seethed. "When I arrived at this school I wasTroy Bolton's best bud. Everyone thought I was immediately in the team just because I was lucky to grow up with the couch's son, _everyone_ hated me, and I had to prove myself to _everyone_. I was living under a freaking shadow, undermined and underestimated. So don't you _dare_ say I've never worked hard to earn what I have."

For a moment, they could only stare at one another, directly into their eyes. Chad found himself looking into a mirror of his life in the glimpse of her eyes, twin pools of captivating cinnamon brown.

"I suppose…we have a lot more in common with each other than we think..." Sharpay looked away.

Chad blinked. "Yeah…" he frowned, feeling awkward as he brought his hand to the nape of his neck and massaged it carefully, "I'm sorry if I snapped at you." Suddenly he didn't feel as angry as he initially was at her, wanting to compromise more than anything else.

"I understand…" Sharpay bit her lower lip. "I'm…_sorry_, too," she grimaced, as if the apology seemed unfamiliarly repulsive on her tongue, "I guess…"

Chad chuckled at her expression, grinning in that endearingly boyish charm that he was known for. "So I have 'musical talent' now, have I?"

Sharpay's lips stretched into a wry smirk. "Admittedly, I've heard you sing. Ryan didn't think you were talent show material just because you're pretty, Danforth."

"Oh, you think I'm handsome, too, do you?" Chad's smile widened mischievously, and he leaned forward from his seat so that she would have no choice but to notice it. Their noses were practically touching, but neither of them really noticed.

"Don't push it," Sharpay threatened, glaring playfully.

"You're a lot nicer than you make yourself out to be," Chad remarked, his smile softening, "and just so you know, it's not the end of the world."

Sharpay scoffed genially, her hands on her hips. "The world _revolves_ around me, Chad, and since I still perfectly exist it wouldn't have any problem turning on its axis. Why _ever _would you say such a thing?"

Chad rolled his eyes, smirking. He held up his hands in defeat. "_Spare_ me the science lecture. I have enough of that already from school." He lowered his hands, returning them to his lap and gingerly fiddling with them, peering at the fresh reddened scabs that covered his fingers and the minor trails of dry blood and sweat.

Sharpay observed him curiously, discovering the tiny red welts overlapping his fingers. "What happened there?" She gestured to his hands almost accusingly.

"It's nothing," Chad said quickly, moving his hands behind his back.

"You should know by now that I'm not easily fooled, Danforth," Sharpay glared reproachfully at him, "maybe we should do something about those hands."

Chad was stunned frozen as he watched Sharpay take his hands into hers, conveying an estranged tenderness from her that he could not explain.

"You...have very sharp eyes," Chad muttered conversationally, referring to how easily she'd noticed his cuts. He was staring directly at the ceiling, determined not to fall into another awkward silence with her. The idea of finding himself tongue-tied around Sharpay seemed awfully out of place for him.

Sharpay grinned, a sly look narrowing her eyes. "Wait till you get to my teeth."

Chad just couldn't prevent the blood from rushing up his cheeks in torrents. He realized that general conversation was decidedly not the best option with the ever snarky Sharpay Evans, and he pursed his lips to avoid the risk of humiliating himself.

Sharpay gently wrapped a sanitary napkin over his wounds and dabbed his hands clean with antiseptic ointment, sticking colorful kiddy bandages over the tiny wounds. Her hands felt softer than he imagined, suddenly noticing the soothing cool of her skin that he had overlooked earlier, and Chad couldn't help but quietly enjoy the treatment.

Sharpay looked up from what she was doing, compelled to glance at him when she felt his increasingly drawn-out stare. She looked him directly in the eyes, catching his gaze deadpanned before he could look away, and for a moment Chad felt his lungs shutdown and overlooked all manner of breathing. He couldn't look away.

"We can't have our little basketball prodigy dribble the ball with sore hands, now, can we?" Sharpay leered, a familiar stretch of her lips that conveyed pearly white teeth and the smugness she was known for.

There was something in the way she smiled, an twinkle in her eyes that made Chad want to touch her, and the urge itself made him feel like he was caught doing something terribly naughty and—

Oh _crap_, he was in love_._

-

**End…? **

-

**NOTE: **This idea came to me a long time ago, just when HSM2 aired. I think that Chad and Sharpay are oddly alike. Chad can be selfish and manipulative at times, even though he's too dense to admit it. In fact, he's a real jerk. But think about it, Sharpay and Chad are both selfish and manipulative. Two negatives make a positive! **:D** You can't get any more logical than that. Also, it would be so much fun/cute to watch them argue all the time.

I'm still all for Troypay, but Chadpay is equally as good! I like Chaylor, too, because Taylor is a foxx and I love how she can totally whip her man into shape. It's very inspiring. ;)

Sorry for not updating **Glamour Shots**. I've been inanely bothered lately by a bunch of stuff. D: Hate me all you want. It's impossible to be universally loved anyway. x3

...

Sincerely & with love,  
_SeraLu_


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